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So proud of our Huggable Hero semi-finalists from Texas! Build-a-Bear Workshop has recognized three Dallas area youth among 80 nationwise in this annual contest for making the world a better place through community service.

Build-A-Bear Workshop launched the program in 2004 as a way to recognize young people, ages eight to 18, who demonstrate kindness, compassion and leadership. More than 1,000 nominations were accepted from Jan. 18 through February 28. In May, 30 finalists will be announced and the 10 Huggable Heroes will be named this summer.

Here’s a look at the impressive work our Texas kids did to earn this honor:

Kate McCasland

Kate McCasland 18, Midlothian

What she did: Kate designed a program to enlist senior citizens at local assisted living centers to make hats for babies at regional hospitals. The state of Texas honored Kate’s program with a Visionary Award for her contribution to the well-being of senior citizens in the state. Kate has collected more than 29,000 hats for babies worldwide.

Why she did it: ”A big part of my motivation is my parents and little brother. Another reason would be I wanted to give back to the hospital that saved my life. I wanted to make hats and taught seniors how to make them. I noticed that every time they made a hat, they would get a smile on their face which continues to motivate me. So, my students and my parents are my big motivator.”

What this means to her: ”I’ve done something good for the community, I’ve given back. When I am teaching my students, they are happy because they thought they couldn’t give back because they were limited but they aren’t. They just need that little bit of a push to realize that they could give back. Makes me proud of myself and the seniors that work with me.”

Haley Joy Whatley

Haley Joy Whatley 18, North Richland Hills

What she did: Haley Joy started an annual Bunny and Bear Drive to collect stuffed animals from the community for patients at a local children’s hospital. She has trained more than 50 kids to lead campaigns at their schools and churches, spoken to numerous civic groups and has obtained corporate sponsorship to help with her cause. Haley Joy has donated more than 25,000 stuffed animals and recruited more than 1,000 volunteers to help with the drive.

Why she did it: ”What motivated me was continuously doing the program and seeing how it impacted people at the hospital. For example, I got a letter from a dad who received his daughter’s bunny right as she was going into surgery, and he said he held it the entire time she was in surgery. Stories like that really motivate me.”

What this means to her: ”It is really fun and exciting but it is not just me that does it. We wouldn’t be as successful without all the other people who help. I’m very gracious to be recognized, but a lot of people do a lot of work on it.”

Charlsie Doan

Charlsie Doan 12, Dallas

What she did: As a youth ambassador for the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Charlsie wrote donation letters, made presentations and played her violin at corporations to ask for sponsorships raising more than $260,000 to support their efforts. Charlsie was recently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. She was chosen as a delegate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) Children’s Congress and has been invited to testify about Type 1 diabetes and promote government funding for research for the cure.

Why she did it: “The knowledge that my efforts are helping kids like me, and also, I feel like I should give back to Scottish Rite for all the things they’ve given me. They’ve given me life like a normal kid despite my difference, and that is the best gift they could ever give me.”

What this means to her: “It means a lot that other people care about what I’m doing. And I hope that my story inspires other kids to give back to other charities and people who care about them, like I’m trying to do.”

If you know a kid, age 8-18, who is doing amazing things for our community, make your nomination at www.buildabear.com/huggableheroes through Feb. 28. The program, now in its 10th year, will select 10 Huggable Heroes for a $10,000 award, which includes an educational scholarship, a donation to a charity of their choice, and a scholarship to support their charitable efforts. In addition, Build-A-Bear Workshop is joining forces with the Jefferson Awards for Public Service, a national community service recognition program co-founded by the late Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, that provides training and mentoring systems to encourage a lifetime of public service.